Black Ankle Winery - Maryland Wine Trail

Black Ankle Tasting Room

A visit to Black Ankle Winery provides a view of what many wineries are striving to become in terms of the facilities and the sustainability. The winery is devoted to being "green" as well as self-sufficient in terms of grapes used in their wines. We laud and appreciate these ideals--so long as they result in great wines and an enjoyable experience. 

Pressed Grapevine Wine Bar in Foreground

The tasting room is beautiful and well designed. And it is green! The construction is unique to the area. We were impressed by the pressed grapevine wine bar. It has to be seen to be appreciated. 

The vineyard consists of 42.5 acres planted with 12 varieties of grapes.  The varietals are fairly standard for the region with the exception of the Gruner Veltliner. We were very interested in this grape and wine, but it was not available for tasting on the day we visited except by wine club members.

The winery has many outdoors seating areas and places for picnicking and presents a very enjoyable atmosphere for family activities. On the day we visited, there were a lot of families 

The tasting fee is $10, and on the day we visited during late June, only 5 wines were being tasted. The winery is devoted to Italian-style wines. The best tasting wine the day we visited was the 2013 Rose, which at $24 was a good buy. It was a dry Rose composed of a six wine blend consisting of Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The 2011 Rolling Hills, $32, sporting a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon was a very light bodied wine and would be a good all around table wine suitable for daily use. With 1088 cases produced, it is the highest production wine at the winery. 

The 2011 Leaf-Stone Syrah, $52, was very light bodied and not spicy and did not exhibit the classic Syrah characteristics. 

Black Ankle Tasting Room

The Terra Dulce III, $45, port-style wine was exceptionally good. We found it enjoyable and complex with a nice blend of flavors. We thought the price point to be a bit high, however.

The Passeggiata VII, $28, had nice tones of strawberry and was delicious with a nice blending of spiciness. 

There were two other very interesting wines on the tasting list; however, they were only available for tasting or purchase by wine club members and when we inquired we found the wine club to be currently closed for new members. We felt they should not advertise the wines if first time visitors cannot enjoy them, especially if they represent the best the winery has to offer.

Green Bird House at Black Ankle

We was disappointed in the overall tasting experience. While the facility is fabulous and beautiful as well as inviting, the server was unfamiliar with the composition of the wines, the types of grapes grown by the vineyard, and many other basic facts. The tasting was strictly a tasting without the additional information about the wines, the harvest, and the winery that we are accustomed to receiving. A good tasting should strive to make a connection between the winery and the taster by explaining the process, the grapes, the methods, and selling the wine a bit. This tasting was strictly a tasting--"Here is the wine, what do you think?"

RECOMMENDATION. While the tasting experience was less than optimal, there are a lot of positives to enjoy about this winery. The open architecture, the seating areas, and the atmosphere are very nice and inviting. The dedication to going green is laudable. Be sure to check the website for tasting hours, the are generally open on weekends, but this is subject to change. This winery is worth a visit as it is one of the premier wineries in Maryland.

-- Bob and Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD